Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV) is established to manage the strategic corporate venture capital program of Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia and the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals enterprise. SAEV’s mission is “to invest globally in start-up and high-growth companies with technologies of strategic importance to Saudi Aramco, to accelerate their development and their deployment in the Kingdom”. Established in 2012 with an investment capital allocation of $500MM, SAEV is a leading corporate venturing program globally and within the energy industry, and aims to be seen as a leading value-adding strategic investor in the global venture capital community. SAEV has executed over 30 investments to date, has co-invested with leading venture capital and corporate venture capital peers, has established a track record of financial returns and deployment of portfolio technologies, and has received recognition including CEO’s Excellence Award and inclusion in Global Corporate Venturing’s ‘Powerlist 100’.
SAEV’s investment team is responsible for identifying, executing and managing investments for the program, ensuring strategic relevance of technologies to Saudi Aramco and generating an attractive financial return on investment. SAEV is headquartered in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, with two key regional investment teams located in North America and Europe, in proximity to global energy innovation and venture capital hubs. SAEV has adopted an activist investment strategy, commonly leading and structuring its investment transactions, and commonly taking board seat or board observer positions in its portfolio companies. The investment team also supports SAEV’s business development team in driving the adoption of technologies in Saudi Aramco. SAEV focuses on the investments in the following sectors; upstream and downstream oil & gas, chemicals renewable energy, energy efficiency and water technologies, including related areas such as materials, information technology or ‘IR4.0’ technologies applicable in Saudi Aramco’s global operations.
The Investment Director is an experienced deal lead responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of individual venture capital investments; including investment strategy, sourcing, evaluation, development of investment memoranda, negotiation, execution, portfolio management, performance reporting, and exits of deals. This will include holding multiple Board positions in SAEV portfolio companies and actively contributing to portfolio company governance, strategy and performance, and managing relationships with co-investors and company management. Mentors junior and mid-level investment staff.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Role- Origination
- Develop and maintain deep networks within the start-up and VC communities, industry, and innovation centers.
- Source deal flow through multiple channels.
- Prioritize deal flow based on quality, fit, strategic value considerations and economic soundness.
- Represent SAEV in industry events and via speaking engagements.
Role- Investment
- Lead opportunity assessment, development of negotiating strategies, transaction structuring, due diligence and transaction execution for corporate venture capital investments.
- Recommend stage-gating decisions for new investments and present opportunities to SAEV management.
- Build relationships with start-up management, co-investors and board members to effectively position SAEV as a leading investor and to develop and lead transactions.
- Drafting of termsheets and investment memoranda for new investments.
- Interface with legal counsel and advisors during diligence and development of transaction documents.
- Ensure compliance with SAEV investment process guidelines.
- Build a portfolio of investments meeting SAEV financial and strategic objectives.
- Contribute to regional investment strategy development.
Role- Portfolio Management
- Participate as deal responsible and SAEV board appointee for multiple investments.
- Maintain relationships with co-investors, board members, and investee management. Provide value-add to portfolio via strategic and operational guidance, networking, fundraising, and business development support.
- Recommend stage-gating decisions & negotiation for follow-on investments and exit transactions, and recommendations on shareholder actions, to meet SAEV financial and strategic objectives.
- Draft termsheets and investment memoranda for follow-on investments and exits.
- Ensure effective transaction execution for follow-on investments and exits.
Role- Teamworking & Mentoring
- Contribute to global and regional teambuilding.
- Train and mentor junior and mid-level investment personnel.
- Effectively delegate and oversee workstreams to mid-level and junior personnel.
- Role- Reporting & Communication
- Provide visibility and objective reporting of portfolio company performance to regional and HQ SAEV management via verbal and written communications.
- Ensure transaction documents are on file and maintained.
CAPABILITIES:
Qualifications:
- Bachelors and Masters Degrees preferably combining engineering/science and management/finance disciplines.
- Strong academic performance from leading institutions.
- Professional certifications in desired skills areas is an advantage i.e. CFA or equivalent.
Competencies:
- Ethics – Honest and trustworthy and a model of high integrity. Understanding of ethics as it relates to investment and corporate governance.
- Problem Solving – Analyze problems in a logical manner and recommend solutions, consider both the long- and short-term impact of proposed solutions and develop workable solutions.
- Technical and Commercial Acumen – ability to rapidly and skillfully assimilate the commercial potential of new technologies and identify opportunities and risks, assess investment opportunities, and manage complex negotiations. Apply core concepts in competitive and market strategy, technology commercialization, intellectual property, financial analysis, investment analysis, valuation, negotiation, due diligence, start-up management and governance.
- Communication – Demonstrate strong oral and written communications skills. Provide support and challenge ideas and be able to recommend solutions.
- Teamwork – Promote achievement of team goals, inspire self-confidence in others, promote high priority of team performance, motivate and support team members, display ability to resolve conflicts and remove obstacles. Able to build and maintain relationships across cultures and geographies.
- Accountability – Take responsibility for actions and make decisions on best data available as well as follow through with focus on delivering goals and managing risk.
Experience:
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- Minimum 10-15 years’ experience combining venture capital, corporate venture capital, corporate development, consulting, investment banking, private equity, start-up leadership or related fields.
- Minimum 7-10 years in venture capital or corporate venture capital throughout market cycles.
- Demonstrated track record and extensive hands on investment experience across the full venture investment life-cycle, including investee board experience.
- Extensive understanding of technical and market trends in the energy sector.
- Extensive networks with the regional energy venture capital community.
- International experience desirable.
